Women Are Such a Hassle

Wang Haifeng coughed awkwardly. "Well... I didn't know there was someone else beside you. Oh, right, this is Xia Xiaoyu. She's been quite concerned about what happened after you left your job."

Xia Xiaoyu nodded and forced out a smile, but a ridiculous feeling welled up inside her.

I know your name is Feng Jun, but you don't know mine. You know her name, but she doesn't even know what you're called.

No matter what, she felt deeply awkward. It was like she was chasing him, while he was chasing Ye Qingyi?

The bag containing the phone on the table was proof enough. Clearly, not only had the two been having coffee together romantically, he had even planned to give her a phone.

Thinking of that, Xia Xiaoyu felt a little stifled, but also strangely delighted. I really came at the right time!

In short, her feelings were extremely conflicted, and she was in no mood. She merely nodded vaguely. "Mm. I only found out by accident that you were fired because of us. I've always felt a little guilty about it."

Feng Jun glanced at her. After a brief pause, he smiled. "That's not entirely right. The real reason I was fired was because of myself... I was too weak. Weakness is the original sin."

He said it with a smile, but when one thought about it carefully, the words carried real weight.

Wang Haifeng disagreed. "That's not entirely right either. Sure, you were a bit weak, but the real problem was that you were too proud and too stubborn... If you'd gone to Xiaoyu and asked her to put in a good word for you, would any of this have happened?"

Feng Jun waved a hand, speaking listlessly. "Forget it. It's all in the past. Let's not talk about it... You two haven't eaten yet?"

"Mm, get me some pasta," Wang Haifeng said as he plopped down. "And a steak, black pepper... Xiaoyu, sit down too."

Xia Xiaoyu hesitated before sitting beside him. "A mango juice... Coach Wang, isn't beef tenderloin a little expensive?"

"I'm paying, aren't I?" Wang Haifeng glanced at her and smiled, then pointed at the phone bag on the table. "See that? Little Feng is giving someone a phone... A scholar should be viewed with new eyes after three days apart. Don't judge him by your old impression."

"Made my ass," Feng Jun snorted irritably.

He had made more than six million, but Coach Wang's private savings exceeded his, not to mention the Wang Family's wealth.

Besides, he was still thinking that if he failed to get anywhere in that space, he would have to work with Madam Wang to smuggle cosmetics.

He could not show off, much less pretend to be rich, so he could only explain casually, "This phone... Little Ye did me a huge favor, so I'm showing my gratitude."

Wang Haifeng chuckled. "If you can't repay her, then give her yourself. Why give her a phone?"

Feng Jun rolled his eyes at him speechlessly. Didn't you ruin that? And you still have the nerve to say it.

Hearing that, Xia Xiaoyu's mood inexplicably improved. She could not help asking, "I thought you didn't like asking people for help. What did she help you with?"

Feng Jun thought for a moment before answering, "She helped by accident, completely unintentionally, but... I can't just accept it calmly."

"I helped you too," Xia Xiaoyu could not help saying. "Under my pressure, Hongjie has agreed to hire you back at a high salary."

"Thank you." Feng Jun smiled and nodded, then sighed with some regret. "But... I probably won't be going back."

Xia Xiaoyu blinked. "So Manager Guo was right. You really wanted to quit."

The moment Feng Jun heard the words Manager Guo, he felt disgusted. "Don't mention that woman to me. She's a complete petty villain."

"Oh?" Xia Xiaoyu became interested. "What did she do to you? Tell me."

Only then did Feng Jun recount the grudge between himself and Guo Yueling. Before, with his future uncertain, he had been too lazy to dwell on it. Now that things were looking up, he naturally had to talk about it.

He even explained the cause—Liu Shuming took advantage of you girls, and Manager Guo actually intended to take it out on me.

At first, Xia Xiaoyu listened with great interest, but the more she heard, the angrier she became. In the end, she flew into a rage. "That woman is really good at pretending! I thought she genuinely took good care of you... I won't let her off!"

Wang Haifeng fanned the flames from the side. "Going by that, Feng Jun being fired really did have a lot to do with the four of you."

"I definitely won't let her off," Xia Xiaoyu said through gritted teeth. "This time, not even your Red Sister can save her... She really doesn't take me seriously at all."

"Not only do we need to deal with her, we need to do it soon—the sooner, the better," Wang Haifeng said, growing more gleeful. "I've disliked that woman for a long time... She even bullied Little Feng!"

Xia Xiaoyu nodded, then looked at Feng Jun with a smile. "Consider that me helping you vent your anger, then?"

I'd rather do it myself! Feng Jun muttered inwardly, but he nodded with a smile. "Thank you."

Xia Xiaoyu looked at him with a strange expression. "No need to thank me. I'm doing it to vent my own anger. I just happened to help you along the way."

She stressed the words "happened to" heavily, then glanced at the phone bag on the table.

"Are you kidding?" Feng Jun spread his hands helplessly. "Look, you use a brand-name phone, while Little Ye uses a Plum-Bamboo Phone. If I give it to her, she can use it. What would you even do with this phone?"

Xia Xiaoyu glared at him irritably. "If you give it to me, then how I use it is my business."

Feng Jun shook his head firmly. "If you gave something I gifted you to someone else... have you considered how I'd feel?"

Xia Xiaoyu's eyes shifted. "Actually... my brand-name phone was bought by my family. I really like using Zhongxia Phones."

Feng Jun shook his head again, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. "Stop kidding around, okay? You're someone who can access Skynet surveillance. Don't make fun of a small fry like me... A single Zhongxia Phone costs about a month of my salary."

Xia Xiaoyu had not intended to take advantage of him for free, but seeing that he refused to budge, she could not help snorting. "I know. You think that Little Ye is prettier than me, right?"

Isn't that obvious? Feng Jun retorted inwardly. In his eyes, Xia Xiaoyu was about as pretty as Little Li at the front desk, maybe a seventy out of a hundred, while Ye Qingyi was around an eighty.

Of course, he could not say that. "She's only about five foot four. You're taller than her."

"I wasn't talking about height." Xia Xiaoyu's lips twitched gloomily. "She isn't that short either... Anyway, she's prettier than me."

Can we talk about something else? Feng Jun smacked his lips. "She's too skinny. She really isn't as good as you."

Xia Xiaoyu flew into a rage and slammed the table. "So you really do think she's prettier than me!"

Feng Jun got angry too and directly emphasized the main point. "It's not that I can't bear to give you a phone. You people were responsible for me getting fired in the first place... You insisted on making me say it. Are you satisfied now?"

"Fine, then I'll give you a brand-name phone!" Xia Xiaoyu glared at him. "I'm only asking you one question: who's prettier, me or her? You have to tell the truth."

Feng Jun stared at her blankly. After a long while, he gave a dark chuckle. "Forget it. I don't want you giving me a phone while full of grief and indignation."

Xia Xiaoyu froze, stood up, and turned to leave without another word.

Feng Jun shook his head helplessly and spread his hands. "How strange. If I'm forced to say she's prettier, does that erase the truth?"

Wang Haifeng smiled and shook his head. "You already said she was taller. Would it kill you to say she was pretty too? With your attitude, I'm really curious how you used to pick up girls at bars."

"I don't want to pick her up," Feng Jun replied indignantly. "If I really wanted to ask a girl out, then of course I'd sweet-talk her."

Wang Haifeng rolled his eyes. "There you go. She's upset because you have no intention of asking her out."

"Forget it." Feng Jun waved a hand, speaking in a sour mood. "Old Wang, you're such an asshole. I haven't gotten any in two months. I finally met someone I had feelings for... Damn it, I bought condoms for nothing."

Wang Haifeng rolled his eyes. "I helped you save the cost of a phone... Give me the phone, and I'll reimburse you for the condoms."

"Can't be bothered with you." Feng Jun stood up. "All right, I'm leaving. We'll talk by phone later."

"Hey, don't go." Wang Haifeng stuffed the last piece of steak into his mouth and stood up as well. "That cosmetics business of yours... have you found a way in yet?"

"Not yet, but soon," Feng Jun answered casually. "I've been busy applying for a passport these past few days. Once I get through this period..."

Just then, Xia Xiaoyu returned. Expressionless, she said, "The person who snatched your stone was the son of Treasure-Gathering House's owner. His name is Wang Weimin."

Feng Jun was startled at first, then smiled and nodded. "Thank you."

He already knew that bastard's identity. Although he had not known his name, knowing his identity was enough.

But he could not say that outright, or it would hurt her feelings—after all, the girl meant well.

Wang Haifeng, however, was greatly surprised. He knew nothing about the strange stone incident. "Wang Weimin from Treasure-Gathering House... How did he snatch a stone?"

Xia Xiaoyu did not answer him. She merely looked at Feng Jun coolly. You offered a ten-thousand-yuan reward.

She did not want the ten thousand yuan, but whether she wanted it was her business. Whether he gave it was Feng Jun's business—he had promised it, so at the very least, he ought to mention it verbally.

To be fair, she had gone to great lengths to find out Wang Weimin's identity. In a city of more than nine million people, was it easy to find one man?

But Feng Jun had not thought of that at all, because he already knew the information.

Instead, he was quite curious about the investigation he had set in motion. "I'm a little curious. How did you find out?"

Seeing him play dumb and refuse to mention the ten thousand yuan, Xia Xiaoyu's mood was obvious.

She snorted coldly, turned, and walked away. "You... sigh, you really have no sense of responsibility. You've disappointed me too much."

I know you're poor. I don't want the ten thousand yuan, but even if you just made a gesture of giving me that phone, it would show some sincerity, wouldn't it?

She left angrily, leaving Wang Haifeng and Feng Jun staring at each other.

After a long while, Coach Wang sighed. "Women... really are such a hassle."